DnD Assistance 3: Fun with Items

[Jon Miller]

I was wondering how item construction works with DnD 3.5

like I think I know how it works, but I don't understand some of the complexities

for example do powers add or does something else occur, because of the space limitations of items it seems like 1 item which can do many things is better than multiple items that can all do one thing (and so should cost more)

so what would an item cost that could:::

+3 to attack, +4 to damage (so maybe an enchancement bonus of +3.5), +1d8 fire damage against evil, and provides the user with 20-30 points of fire resistance at all times (Bastard Sword)

+3 AC, Neutralize Poison once a day, Silence once a day, Bark Skin (+4 AC) once a day, Light Weight (50%). Low Armor Check (Leather Equivalent) (Chainmail)

+3 to attack, +4 to damage (enhancement bonus 3.5 again?), charm person once a day, suggestion once a day, lesser geas 3 times (longsword)

all spells are commandword

Jon Miller

[Jon Miller]

also

lighting bolt 6d6 once per day (ring)

Jon Miller

[Jon Miller]

once more

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

Jon Miller

[duke o' york]

That too much powergaming for my liking. If you are talking about cost in gold, then I just wouldn't allow the players to buy them. They must be rewards for completing exceptionally tough quests, or taken from the bodies of powerful enemies, not just handed round willy nilly. Such artifacts should be so powerful that the PCs would never want to sell them, nor should they know of all the item's powers. It'd be far more fun to have a sword that cast silence of its own accord the first time round, rather than the PC choosing when to use it.

[Jon Miller]

are you familiar with crafting? (or identify?)

and actually these are awards

it is related to arguments dealing with how to divide up the loot

Jon Miller

[Jon Miller]

basically we decided that we would divide by how much items cost

with preferences given to people who can use the item

so my asking relates to how to come up with item costs when the cost is not given explicitly in the DMG

Jon miller

[Jamski]

Ask the GM.

Or simply find a better way to share loot.

Or sell everthing for a price the GM thinks is right and split the cash.

-Jam

[Jon Miller]

We don't want to sell everything (and can't sell everything, in fact we can't sell anything). And unfortunately the GM is not very familiar with how things compare in DnD 3.5 (He is use to DnD 2). He has had a hard time guaging what level of monsters our party can handle and the like. (He is still a good GM because he is good at keeping people interested (most of the time) and handles story well; it is just unfortunate that he is not very familiar with the game system).

Items given the party where given the party for plot reasons (a number of the items can't even be used by members of the party), not because they are ballanced or anything. As party members we as characters want to ballance things out (very few of us are completely unselfious).

Jon Miller

[SnowFire]

Yeesh, I think the only way to normally get swords with that many abilities is to have them be intelligent. You really shouldn't be able to make this stuff without being 18th level +; these are relics of a high-magic age. If I had to guess, I'd try and assign "ranking bonuses" to those benefits.


+3 to attack, +4 to damage (so maybe an enchancement bonus of +3.5),

Yeah, call that 3.5.
+1d8 fire damage against evil,

This is a bit worse than normal Holy, which is +2 and 2d6 damage against evil. So call it +1.5.

and provides the user with 20-30 points of fire resistance at all times (Bastard Sword)

Wow, this is unusual for a sword to have this defensive property, but not unheard of, since Frostbrands render you practically immune to fire as well (although it's only the first 10 points compared to 20!). Frostbrands are also priced considerably more than a standard +3 sword. I'd call this a +3 bonus, at least.

Total it up and we have 3.5+1.5+3.5 = 8.5. It's weird and unique, so we'll round up to 9. A total +9 enhancement weapon would cost 162,000 gp.

+3 AC,
Easy, +3 bonus here.
Neutralize Poison once a day, Silence once a day, Bark Skin (+4 AC) once a day,
Silencing armor? Out of character, and why do you need Barkskin when wearing this? Guessing a +3 or so here?
Light Weight (50%). Low Armor Check (Leather Equivalent)
More of a material thing, generally, make it out of Mithral and pay the price for that.
(Chainmail)

So +6 total, plus finding Mithral to make it from.

+3 to attack, +4 to damage (enhancement bonus 3.5 again?), charm person once a day, suggestion once a day, lesser geas 3 times (longsword)

Lesser Geas three times a day?! Suggestion once a day?! This is a minor artifact. Priceless.

[SnowFire]

Ah, hadn't seen your post. I'm glad you're not buying and selling magic items left and right and he's coming up with cool, unique items. But just balance things out by who needs it most, then. And use recently acquired items- if you get an uber-powerful armor, don't give it to the guy who already has the nice bastard sword.

[Jon Miller]

thanks snowfire, that is exacting what I was looking for (estimations, and how to make them, so basically you would try and transfer everything to enhancement bonuses)

the lessor geas is charged, with 3 charges left (I think that it drops the item from lesser artifact to powerful sword), so I think that would make it a ~+6 or +7 enhancement item

Jon Miller

[Jon Miller]

I am thinking on the longsword, 3.5+1(charm)+1(suggestion)+1(3 lesser geas)~7

Jon Miller

[duke o' york]

Originally posted by SnowFire
Yeesh, I think the only way to normally get swords with that many abilities is to have them be intelligent. You really shouldn't be able to make this stuff without being 18th level +; these are relics of a high-magic age.

This is the point I was trying to make above. All of these items are immensely powerful, and if I was GM then none of the characters would be allowed them as it totally unbalances the game. If they were allowed to use them, then I would have them perform a quest for a powerful mage or king (or god if you're into your PCs playing with heaven), and allow them one of these items to use on that quest only. The mage would give them a decent magic item as a reward, but they would not be allowed to carry this kind of stuff round with them. Of course if they decided to carry on and neglect to return the item, then things could get very sticky for them.
My answer to your question is that they should be priceless. These are the kind of things that ambitious rulers would send entire armies after so that they could use their power.

[Jon Miller]

yah, I know that they are really powerful

we sorta did some unexpected things, and discovered some of the nature of The Dark Lord way way early, when we were suppose to just be figuring out what was going on with a tribe of goblins attacking from the mountains (we are only level 6)

I think that it relates to that

Jon Miller

[Urban Ranger]

Wow, that's so Monty Hall-ish. What level are your characters?

In fact I like to give out strange and unique items like a Potion of Microbes Removal and Arrows of Bending (they bend around corners).